This invention relates to dispensing fasteners and other items made in continuous strip form and to fastener strips suitable for dispensing.
The invention in one aspect concerns an overall system including a dispenser and a cooperating continuous strip of fastener units that leads to lower cost and wider applicability of fastening by the hook and loop technique.
Elongated strips of hook and loop fasteners are used as straps or ties for bundling and wrapping products, for applying identification markings to products, etc.
Previously, a continuous strip of fastener units has been provided with cross-perforations or lines of weakness spaced at predetermined interval lengths to define the individual units, which can be detached from one another. In some cases, the strip is wound upon itself to form a supply roll. The user uncoils a unit from the roll, finds the line of weakness, and breaks it from the supply roll by tension. Time can be lost in finding the line of weakness, and if a mistake is made, two units instead of one may be detached.
Other items made in continuous sequence as a continuous strip, to be detached at lines of weakness, present similar problems.
A dispenser device is provided which automatically finds the second unit in a continuous strip during dispensing of a leading unit and, during the dispensing procedure, automatically applies resistance to the second unit, so that pull on the leading unit parts it from the remaining supply. The labor saved by automatically singulating a strip-form unit decreases cost and increases convenience, especially in the case of touch fasteners.
It is also realized that, by providing a dispenser that is convenient to use, there are potential large volume applications for strip-form fastener units for marking, bundling, or wrapping a wide variety of products that include banding or bundling of wires, fiber optic cables, hydraulic or pneumatic tubes, and many other products that are typically grouped together for use or for sale.
In a preferred form, a supply of strip-form fastener units is provided as a roll. Dispensing is achieved by the user grasping the free end of the roll and pulling it across a mechanism which finds the second unit, locks on to it and applies strong resistance to its movement, so that, as the user continues to pull, the leading unit breaks away from the next unit under tensile force. In a preferred form, the device which senses the strip and resists movement of the next-succeeding unit automatically releases the remaining unit when the perforation is broken. In preferred forms, the next succeeding strip-form unit, which now becomes the leading unit, is automatically lifted and presented to be grasped for repeating the procedure.
In preferred forms, the dispenser also has a mechanism which continuously applies light drag resistance to the strip material being pulled from the roll so that pull on the roll does not cause it to overrun or result in improper action.
In its preferred form, the device which senses the strip and resists movement of the next-succeeding unit automatically releases the remaining unit when the perforation is broken.
In a preferred form, a formation is provided on each unit of the strip material and a detent, in preferred form a simple claw, engages the formation applies the resistance to the second unit so that tension on the lead unit breaks it away.
Preferably the sensing and strong resisting action is performed by a detent over which the strip material slides during dispensing movement.
Advantageously, the strip-form units are provided with an inherent curling tendency or set (curl memory) from having been wound in a roll, and the supply roll is so arranged in the dispenser, that this curling characteristic serve to help raise the end of the lead strip unit, to present it to be grasped.
The techniques of the invention are applicable to many strip materials, but in particular, to fastener materials, especially hook and loop fastener components such as hook strips, loop strips, strips having hooks on one side and loops on the other, and strips having pressure sensitive adhesive or other fastening features on one or both sides.
An inexpensive fastener material, capable of being dispensed by this technique, is two-sided material, having fastener hooks on one side and loop material on the other, formed by in situ molding and laminating in which the resin that forms at least part of the base layer of the hooks serves also as the bonding agent for adhering the needled non woven loop material to the base layer.
In a particularly effective system, the strip-form fastener units comprise molded fastener hooks to which is directly bonded a needled and stretched non-woven material whose loops or fibers are constructed and arranged to be engaged by the hooks. Advantageously this product is formed by the in situ molding techniques.
Another fastener material especially adapted for the dispensing techniques disclosed is a tape having hooks or loops on one surface and pressure sensitive adhesive on the other side, the tape having special formations that enable the dispensing system to function. In some cases a release liner is employed on the adhesive. In important other cases, the adhesive is formulated to releasably engage overlying portions of the tape, so that it can be supplied rolled or folded upon itself, with no release liner. For applying drag to such a tape while being withdrawn from the dispenser, it is advantageous to apply the light drag force by action of a roller, such as a roller that is spring biased against the adhesive side of the tape, which turns with the advancing adhesive, and presses the opposite side of the strip against a braking (drag) surface.
According to one particular aspect of the invention, a dispenser is provided for a supply of continuous strip material, the material having formations that include parting lines spaced at points along the length to define successive units of predetermined length, the parting lines enabling a leading unit to part from the remaining material when the material at the respective parting line is subjected to parting tension, the dispenser comprising a receptacle to hold the supply of strip material, a retarder constructed and arranged to provide drag against the motion of the material as a leading unit is removed from the dispenser in response to pull by a user, and a device, (in certain preferred embodiments located downstream of the retarder) positioned to be engaged by the strip material as the leading unit is pulled from the dispenser, the device comprising at least one detent constructed to engage a corresponding formation of the second unit following the leading unit to resist movement of the following unit so that the leading unit parts from the remaining material at the respective parting line.
Preferred embodiments of this aspect of the invention have one or more of the following features.
The receptacle of the dispenser is constructed and arranged to hold a supply of fastener strip material having parting lines defining strip-form fastener units. The dispenser is combined with a supply of fastener strip material having fastener elements on at least one of its sides, preferably the fastener elements comprising hooks or fibers or loops for hook and loop fastening or fasteners constructed for self-engageable fastening; in some advantageous cases, the fastener strip material is two-sided, having hooks on one side and hook engageable fibers or loops on the other side, and in some cases, the fastener strip material has hooks or hook-engageable fibers or loops on one side and pressure-sensitive adhesive on the other side. In certain cases, a release layer lies over the pressure sensitive-adhesive and the parting line extends into the release layer.
The detent comprises at least one stationary claw over which the strip material slides as the leading unit is pulled from the dispenser until a formation of the second unit of strip material that is engageable by the claw is engaged by the claw.
The retarder includes a resilient member that bears against the strip material as the leading unit is withdrawn. Preferably, the retarder includes a leaf spring, preferably the downstream end of the leaf spring is positioned and arranged to be resiliently deflected in response to pull on the leading unit. Preferably, the downstream end of the spring is curved away from the path of the strip material.
In certain advantageous cases, the retarder, e.g. the resilient member or spring, is constructed and arranged to position the next-following unit for grasping upon breaking of the leading unit from the remaining material. In certain cases, the resilient member is constructed and arranged to raise a portion of the strip unit immediately following the leading unit breaking from the remaining material. In some embodiments, the resilient member comprises an elongated spring member such as a leaf spring exposed for face-to-face engagement with the under-surface of the strip material, positioned to raise the end of the next-following unit when the leading unit is broken away. Preferably, the downstream end of the spring member is arranged to be resiliently deflected downwardly by withdrawing tension applied to the leading strip unit, and, upon relief of the tension as a result of breaking of the leading unit from the remaining strip material, the spring is constructed and arranged to move upwardly in restoring motion to carry with it the strip material that extends beyond the spring into position to be grasped.
In a preferred form, a leaf spring member has a main portion at the retarder and a downstream end portion of the leaf spring beyond the retarder that is thinner than the thickness of the main portion of the leaf spring, the downstream end portion arranged to be resiliently deflected during removal of a leading strip and to elastically recover upon parting of the leading unit, the spring carrying with it a corresponding portion of the successive unit.
The retarder includes a spring-loaded roller.
Hooks are integrally molded on a portion of the exterior of the dispenser, enabling the dispenser to be releasably mounted on loop material secured to a support.
The dispenser is combined with advantage with certain supplies of strip material. In certain important cases, units of the material have a slit engageable by the detent, each slit ending at a stop surface that enables the detent to stop movement of the second unit. In certain other cases, units of the strip material have formations at the leading end of each discrete strip unit, or in its main body, exposing a detainable edge portion of the unit for engagement by the detent.
In a preferred embodiment, the fastener material has sufficient stiffness and roll set (curl memory) to spring from a bent configuration as it is pulled across the detent to a straighter or reversely curved shape when the leading unit is broken from the next succeeding unit so that a portion of the next unit lifts from the detent in position to be grasped by a user for dispensing.
In a preferred form, the dispenser is constructed to hold a supply of strip material in roll form. In another form, the dispenser is constructed to hold material folded upon itself in a Z-fold. In certain embodiments, the dispenser is constructed and arranged to enable withdrawing a strip unit by one hand of a user. In certain cases, the dispenser has a base suitable for resting upon a flat surface and in certain cases it is constructed and arranged to be portable or hand-held. In some cases, the dispenser has hooks integrally molded on a portion of its exterior enabling the dispenser to be releasably mounting on loop material secured to a support. In certain cases, advantageously, the dispensing section is angled relative to the surface on which its base is supported, so that the strip unit can be withdrawn at a convenient angle, e.g. at an upward angle relative to a horizontal surface on which the base of the dispenser rests.
In a preferred form, the dispenser has edge guides for engagement by edges of the material being withdrawn from the dispenser to guide the material to be engaged by the detent in the formations provided in the material.
In another aspect of the invention, the dispenser is combined with a supply of fastener strip material having substantial lateral stiffness, the dispenser including edge guides in the vicinity of the detent to guide this fastener strip to ensure the detent engages the respective formation in the strip material.
In another aspect the dispenser is combined with a supply of fastener strip material, the material carrying arrays of fastener elements on its first and second sides, the respective fastener elements being of cooperative form capable of being releasably fastened together. In some cases, advantageously, fastener elements on the first side comprise loops or fibers of form capable of being releasably engaged by fastener elements on the second side. In certain cases, the fastener elements on the second side of the material are hooks molded integrally with a base layer, the loops or fibers being bonded to the base layer of the molded hooks by the material of the base layer.
In another aspect of the invention, which involves novel combination with the dispenser described, as well as a new fastener product per se, the first side of the material comprises a non-woven web of entangled fibers of substantial tenacity having a basis weight of between about 1.8 to 2.5 ounces per square yard. In preferred embodiments, fibers or loops are defined by a non-woven web which comprises a batt of loose, staple fibers that have been entangled and form a non-woven web structure of fibers joined at entanglements, loops of some of the fibers extending from at least one side of the web; in certain cases, the batt is of needle punched form. In some cases, the non-woven structure is bonded in a stretched state in which tightened entanglements form knots. In certain cases, the knots are bonded in a stretched state by resin integral with the material that forms the fastening elements on the second side of the strip material.
According to another aspect of the invention, an extended length of fastener material is provided that forms a series of detachable strip units suitable for use with a dispenser having a detent, the fastener material having formations that include weakened parting lines at spaced intervals along its length to define the strip units and at least one formation in each strip unit, the formation constructed and arranged to be engaged by the detent to detain the respective unit while a preceding unit is detached by rupture at the parting line by tension applied to the parting line.
Advantageously, the strip material has sufficient lateral stiffness to enable it to be guided by edge guides to register the detent with the formation of each strip unit.
Preferably, the fastener material has sufficient resiliency to spring from a bent configuration as it is pulled across a detent to a straighter shape when the leading unit is broken away from the remaining material to assist the succeeding unit to lift from the detent in position to be grasped by a user for dispensing the next successive strip unit.
A preferred method for forming a composite product having a large multiplicity of hook-form fastener projections extending from the surface of its base portion comprises the following steps: providing a cooled, rotating mold roller having inwardly extending, fixed, projection-forming cavities defined in its periphery; to the exterior of the forming roller, applying molten plastic material for filling the cavities and forming a base in the manner that incorporates a hook engageable material on the side of the base directed oppositely from the side in which the projections are formed; withdrawing the fastener material from the forming roller, including withdrawing the projections from the cavities; and either in line or as a separate batch process, forming parting lines at spaced intervals extending transversely of the resulting material.
Another preferred method for forming a fastener material comprises the steps of: forming loop product by a method comprising the steps of forming a batt of loose, staple fibers; entangling the fibers to produce a non-woven fabric of fibers joined at entanglements, with loops of some of the fibers extending from at least one side of the fabric; subsequently stretching the fabric to tighten the entanglements to form knots, and combining the back side of the loop product with the backside of a layer that carries hook fasteners. In some embodiments, prior to combining the loop product with the resin layer, a binding step is performed to bind the knots to hold the fabric in its stretched condition. In some cases, the combining step is effective to bind the knots to hold the fabric in its stretched condition. In certain cases, the step of combining is performed substantially simultaneously with forming a layer that carries the hook fasteners. In a preferred embodiment, the layer that carries the fastener hooks is formed by the method of forming a running length of fastener material having integrally formed with its base a large multiplicity of hook-forming fastener projections extending from the surface of the base portion, the method comprising: providing a cooled, rotating mold roller having inwardly extending, fixed, projection-forming cavities defined in its periphery; to the exterior of the forming roller, applying molten plastic material for filling the cavities and forming a base in the manner that incorporates the hook engageable material on the side of the base directed oppositely from the side in which the projections are formed, and withdrawing the fastener material from the forming roller, including withdrawing the projections from the cavities.